Thinus Ferreira
A new weekly Afrikaans newspaper, Die Papier (The Paper) will launch in March 2026 with former Beeld editor Barnard Beukman as its first editor.
Taking a page from the Daily Maverick as an online publication that has a weekly print edition, Die Papier will be available nationally in all major metros and some rural areas with a weekly print edition.
Die Papier will be the first new Afrikaans news and perspective publication in print since Media24 shuttered the print runs of Beeld, Die Volksblad and Rapport on Sundays earlier this year and after the revived Vrye Weekblad shuttered in March after six years.
Novus Holdings' Novus Media will publish Die Papier.
Novus Holdings bought Media24's distribution business On the Dot and several community newspapers at the end of 2024 following the closure of the print runs of Beeld, Die Volksblad and Rapport.
Besides a website, Die Papier will appear in print on Fridays with news, sport, lifestyle, business and culture coverage aimed at South Africa's Afrikaans readership. The first issue of Die Papier is set for 6 March 2026, targeting an Afrikaans market of more than seven million consumers.
André van der Veen, Novus Holdings CEO, says "The opportunity to grow print publications in focused markets remains relevant if readers' needs are listened to with innovation and thorough comprehension".
According to Esmé Smit, Novus Media director, Die Papier "is a milestone for us - it's our first national newspaper and takes quality Afrikaans journalism to a new level with a reach that includes all the provinces".
"6 March 2026 signifies a new chapter - for the Afrikaans print media and for South African journalism. We're looking forward to telling collective stories, empowering citizens and building a platform where communities can partake constructively in a democratic discussion. Quality content for, from and to the benefit of the Afrikaans community - that's the vision of Die Papier."
Beukman told RSG that Die Papier will "repair the balance in the South African media landscape".
"The aim is not to be just another platform that reports on what's happening but to provide creative and interesting journalism to readers".
"There's an important market segment asking for news in print. Die Papier won't just be a printed newspaper; you'll also be able to page through it as an e-newspaper. It's that a component that has been lost is being repaired. National advertisers are already excited and told us thanks for seeing the gap in the market."
"Die Papier will be a national weekly. A possible comparison is with how the Saturday edition of Beeld looked in tablet form, taking recognition of the hard news of the previous day or two, with a focus on the weekend, the sport. There was an in-depth section. Afrikaans readers still want a print newspaper."
"One of the assignments from Novus Media is to bridge the gap between online and social media and the content of newspapers to make it accessible to younger readers," Beukman said.
He mentioned Die Papier will be available "in all nine provinces - of course always in core cities and as far as possible in rural areas. We'll try to distribute it as widely as possible."
"The hope is that Die Papier will contribute to the role of Afrikaans people and South Africans as a nation in conversation with itself."
